Search

This one isn’t caused by economy. This is mismanagement. In AUDIT: Inland Regional Center must repay $10 million, the Press Enterprise discusses the results of an audit of one of California’s Regional Centers. The Regional Centers are private non-profit organizations which administer funds for California’s developmentally disabled population. Inland Regional Center (IRC) has had problems for the past few years and been placed on probation.

From the Press Enterprise story:

As for the center’s ability to repay the $9.8 million in improper expenses cited in the audit, that would be all but impossible, she said.

“We’re going to have to get direction from the department on that. We don’t have $10 million,” Fitzgibbons said. “We’re really working hard to improve things and do the best job we can do.”

Well, they’ve been audited and IRC has to repay the state $10M. That’s a lot of money, and could mean a reduction in services for the clients of IRC. People who are not responsible for the mismanagement.

The nonprofit agency that serves developmentally disabled residents in Inland Southern California improperly spent almost $10 million and must repay the state, according to a highly critical audit released Friday that found continued widespread problems at the San Bernardino-based Inland Regional Center.

One example of misspent funds was when $1M allocated for services for people with hearing, speech and/or vision impairment was used for the operation expenses in their resource library.

Another recent story: San Diego Unified School District is facing insolvency and possible takeover by the state:

California required school districts to budget as though there would be no cuts in funding. However, California also has automatic cuts in place should revenues not meet specific “trigger” levels. If the state misses the revenue levels, they will cut funds to the districts. While special education is not specifically mentioned, Special Education tends to be a focus of budget minded administrators, with comments of “encroachment” commonly heard.

8 Responses to “Tough fiscal times in California”

They didn’t specifically mention Special Education cuts, because SDUSD (San Diego City Schools) begun a while ago cutting costs with regard to special needs. They have carefully veiled it as a push towards “inclusion” and meeting the LRE requirement, but being a parent of a special needs child that attends a school in this district, and as a Special Educator who works on the receiving end (Non Public) of this entity, I can tell you it’s bs.

They have begun to transition hundreds of students back to their home school into regular ed. classes, sans support staff. Many students who are in the Moderate-Severe range, which is rarely ever appropriate unless they have a 1:1. Never mind the legal implications of instruction coming from a Regular Ed. teacher, and goals being addressed…our fair new Superintendent mentioned a year ago in a local paper that risking litigation was acceptable with making these changes.

This district has a history of banking on parents of special needs children being unaware of their rights; unable to afford representation, and over all general bullying tactics. Personal experience aside, the stories that have been relayed to me by other parents are horrifying.

Should we move towards insolvency, it might actually benefit our special needs children served by this district. Maybe the state will consider their legal obligations to these children, and want to avoid litigation, unlike the pervasive sentiment under the current administration.

Yes, it is excruiating here in San Diego. The helpless feeling is nearly paralyzing. Both RC and the SD school district have had to cut to the point where you are lucky to get an eval much less services. Insurance, although a recent victory in prop 946, has denied our OT and speech appeal. My son is paying the price and we are doing everything we can to make up the difference any way we can. It’s a sad and hard time.

Re SDUSD, didn’t they try the “dump & run” LRE strategy a while back & how’d that work out for them (never mind the students & their families?)

Re the IRC, there’s so much MORE to this story, that’s yet to come out! The DDS is just as culpable for allowing these abuses (as well as the abuses NOT mentioned in the 80 page audit report) to not only happen but to continue to happen for so long. It’s time for the DDS to step up and PULL the IRC’s contract since they, at least have the power to do that….but will they? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Also, here’s a shout out to Gov. Jerry Brown: Thanks so MUCH for vetoing the transparency bill that sailed through the state House & Senate (before the results of this audit were finally released to the public (it took them long enough!) These Regional Centers receive BILLIONS of PUBLIC dollars yet since they operate as PRIVATE non-profits they do NOT have to comply with CA’s Public Records Act. Mr’s Brown’s veto message was a bit ridiculous as well….let’s see, I’m not going to sign this bill and make these organizations more transparent because we’ve already enacted a law that REQUIRES the DDS to develop a conflict of interest policy & since they have YET to do that, we shouldn’t expect them to do MORE (to make these agencies MORE transparent!)

tho office vacant, they should/must provide the service…they helped my daughter get 1:1, 24/7 many years ago…intervened in a fair hearing (which she probably would have lost, adm judge was clueless) and got services, RC had denied.

CA-USA FYI stuff
Advocacy Training: On October 26TH Pat Napoliello (national and state board member of The Arc) will be providing an IPP training (individual Program Plan) to help advocates know their right under the Lanterman Act. The training will be from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, California.

A triumphant business also desires a brand along with a brand intention to linger in customer’s mentality. At DDS Dental Marketing we offer various services like emarketing, image management/branding and much more.

Rate this:

A few years ago a fake supplement was marketed to autism parents for use on their children. The “supplement” was called “OSR #1”, OSR for “oxidative stress releif” or something to that effect. The name was a bit of a dodge, just as packaging it as a supplement rather than a drug was a dodge. […]

Rate this:

Mr. Shatner, I see that you have been involved in a rather large tweet storm this weekend, focusing on your support for Autism Speaks. My guess is you would agree that 140 characters at a time is far too limiting to take on a complex discussion. Open letters such as this are as well, but […]

Rate this:

What do these autism organizations have in common: Autism Science Foundation Autistic Self Advocacy Network Autism Society of America National Autistic Society Autistica The Marcus Autism Center The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism I could list many more. Besides being autism organizations, they all have this in common: no mention of “Light It Up Blue” […]

Rate this:

Simple answer: because she’s anti vaccine. But I’m sure readers would like a bit more detail than that. Today Robert Kennedy Jr. spoke at an event for vaccine antagonistic activists. On the list of speakers: Sherrie Saunders. Ms. Saunders has been part of Andrew Wakefield’s “Vaxxed” team for some time. Here are some posts from […]